Search for Tsunade Arc

Kakashi arrives in the nick of time to help Asuma and Kurenai, and Itachi too enters the fray. The ultimate battle between two Sharingan users begins, but who has a greater mastery when two users of the Sharingan clash?

Summary

Opening Theme-

"GO!!!" by FLOW

Somewhere in the Hidden Leaf Village, Sasuke Uchiha is walking down a dark corridor with an oil lamp and starts to walk down some stairs. Elsewhere in town, Naruto is confused why he has to go on this research trip with Jiraiya. He says it's not just any research trip. There is one special woman he's looking for. Naruto isn't interested in this woman since he wants to train. Jiraiya is surprised to hear this, and Naruto goes on to say he wants to learn things from Kakashi, such as the Chidori. He thinks how kakashi has been playing favorites as of late with Sasuke. Jiraiya cuts into his thoughts that he believes that the Chidori isn't possible for Naruto to learn. Instead he tries to tempt Naruto with how beautiful the woman is that he's planning to find. Naruto is uninterested and says he's not some kids he can foll into coming along. Feigning disappointment, Jiraiya walks away talking about a jutsu he knows that's even better than the Chidori. That he could just teach it to Sasuke. In a flash, Naruto is all ready to go and runs off to get his bags ready. Jiraiya can only watch and laugh about what a cute kids Naruto is.

At the river where the jonin of the Hidden Leaf are facing with Itachi and Kisame, Kakashi and Itachi are facing off. He thinks how Itachi's eyes haven't changed in all these years. He has to think of the worst possible case scenario. Kisame now understands how his jutsu was copied since Kakashi uses the Sharingan Eye. He's even honored that Kakashi knows his name. Kakashi names him as one of the Seven Hidden Mist Ninja Swordsmen. and the sword he carries in Samehada. Kisame ask if he heard right that Kakashi had fought it out with Zabuza. When he confirms it to be true, he calls Kakshi someone well worth lopping up, but to everyone's surprise Itachi tells him to stop. He says if Kisame fights Kakshi that it would be at a cost, and if they take too much more time that more ninja from the village could come. They came here with a goal, and Kakshi is interested in what that goal is. One Kakashi clone disappears, and only the real one is left. All Itachi says is that they came looking for something.

In an underground room marked with the Uchiha Clan symbol, Sasuke is angry and frustrated. Back at the river, Kakshi asks what Itachi is looking for. He refuses to answer and says he's not like Kisame, who wastes time. Suddenly. Itachi reveals several shuriken from his cloak. Kakashi falls back and uses the Water Wall jutsu. He stops to remark how he couldn't even follow Itachi's hand sign. The shuriken in his right were a diversion to use the Water Wall jutsu on Kakshi. Itachi is impressed at Kakashi's analytical eye, but a clone of Itachi is suddenly behind Kakashi and stabs him in the back. Though, this was a Water Clone he stabbed. From under the water, Kakashi hands Kurenai a kunai. He warns her to get down, but grabs her to get away, saying this one one of the Shadow Clones. The water suddenly explodes, and Asuma rushes in. One of Itachi's clones explodes with a powerful force.

Back at Naruto's home, he's packing and excited to learn a new jutsu, thinking Sakura may even start to like him and Kakshi and Sasuke will be surprised. He glances over at this Team 7 photo.

At the river, the water is falling like rain. Kurenai asks if Kakashi is alright, but he warns them to make sure they don't lower their guard. Itashi is the man who at 13 years-old became the division leader of the Anbu Black Ops. Still, Kakshi says they haven't seen his real strength yet. Itachi is impressed with Kakashi's mastery of the Sharingan, but knows his body is not Uchiha. He knows that to the the truth and that his stamina can't last. Itachi proclaims that he will show the true strength of the Sharingan. As Itachi slowly opens his eyes, Kakashi hollers for Asuma and Kurenai to close their eyes.

Kakashi under Itachi's Tsukuyomi

He switches to only using his left eye and warns them not to open their eyes at all. Itachi tells Kakashi is right, but the Tsukuyomi genjutsu is unbreakable. The only person who can defeat him is another Sharingan user. Kakshi thinks of Sasuke, and he feels a sudden pain. The clouds go black and the sky turns red. Kakshi finds himself crucified on a cross before him is Itachi wielding a katana. He wonders how much Kakashi can withstand, he stabs him in the belly, and Kakashi screams. Later, Kakshi wakes up in this same realm but is uninjured. There are now two Itachis with swords and they both stab him. He says that in this Tsukiyomi he controls time, space, and matter. For the next 72 hours, Itachi says he will continually stab him. Over and over they pierce his body and he feels it all. He wakes up after passing out to see feet from him what happened earlier repeating. Kakshi tries to focus that this is only genjutsu, but Itachi advises not to think that this is just an illusion. The pain is real, and he wonder how long till his spirit breaks. Time passes, and there are many crucified Kakashis. All seem dead but one one. Suddenly, the Kakashis are replaced by a hundred Itachis. One of them speaks and says that there is still 71 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds left of this. Kakashi is shocked that on so little time as passed. The Itachis move in to take turns stabbing Kakshi as he screams out in pain.

When the genjutsu is released, Kakshi is back in the real world. He's breaking heavily and in terrible pain falls to his hands and knees. Kuranai calls to him and asks if they should still keep their eyes closed. Asuma asked what happened. That he heard Kakshi fall as soon as Itachi stopped speaking. kakasi realizes that three days in that realm equal only a fraction of a second in the real world. He wonders why Itachi doens't kill him.

Kisame appears on the water by Itachi's side and is surprised Kakashi's spirit didn't break. He also warns Itachi of the dangers of him overusing his Sharingan. Kakshi asks if they are looking for Sasuke. With his eyes twitching, Itachi denies this. What they are after is the legacy of the Fourth Hokage. They realize he's after Naruto for something.

Kakashi flashes back to when he greeted Jiraiya upon his return. Jiraiya told him that he would keep Naruto under his care. He understands why the Third Hokage gave Naruto to him to watch, but thinks that even his level may not be enough. Kakashi didn't understand and Jiraiya tells him that he watched after Orochimaru after he left the village. During that time he joined a dangerous organization called the Akatsuki. All Jiraiya knows is that it's made of of nine shinobi. All listed in the Bingo Book as S-Class criminals, and that Itachi Uchiha is among them. He went on to say how Orochimaru left for some reason. At the same time, members started to spread out in pairs across the nations. Kakshi wondered if they were after the Nine-tailed Fox. Jiraiya could only say it's possible since the Nine-tails has the strongest source of Chakra. He says that soon Naruto will have to live watching his back. He goes on to say that he should keep a good eye on Kakashi.

Mighty Guy's Severe Leaf Hurricanes kick

Kakashi asks Itachi is he's after the Nine-tails. He knows they aren't the only ones on the move, and that they are members of the Akatsuki. Itachi and Kisame react to hearing the name and now plan to kill all three. Kisame rushes in, but Mighty Guy appears to strike him away with a powerful kick. Kisame asks who he is, and Guy announces himself as the Hidden Leaf's Blue Fierce Animal, Mighty Guy. Kisame retorts he should be the strange beast, but Itachi warns Kisame not to underestimate him. Suddenly behind Guy, Kakshi has finally passed out, and Guy lifts him up. Asuma, his eyes still shut, warns Guy not to look in fear of being caught in a genjutsu. guy realizes that and developed a way of fighting Sharingan users, like Kakashi. Guy tells them both to open their eyes. Kurena is hesitant, buy Guy tells them that when fighting the Sharingan all you need to do is avoid the eyes. Look to their feet to predict their movements. Kurenai is the first to open her eyes when she sees the truth in that idea. As Asuma opens his, he tells Guy that only he could do something such as that in a fight. Guy agrees since there is knack to learning movements from watching feet, and this is hardly time for a lesson.

Guy asks Kurenai to take care of Kakashi and for Asuma to back him up. They just have to hold out until the Anbu Black Ops he called in arrive. Kisame is excites, but Itachi call says they should pull out. They aren't here for a war. Suddenly, the two disappear in a flash.

Later at the Hidden Leaf's main gate, Narto is all packed and ready to leave with Jiraiya. he tries to leave, but his back back is so filled it's larger than he is. Jiraiya tells him that they aren't going to train in the mountains.

Points of Interest

What is never explained in this episode is the reason Jiraiya believes Naruto can't learn the Chidori is due to the concept of elemental chakra and an individuals natural born aptitude. This concept wouldn't be officially introduced until Naruto Shippuden's Hidan and Kazuki Arc.

Sakura Haruno only appears in this episode in a picture in Naruto's home of the Team 7 picture.